


A Stolen Life, A Stolen Kiss, A Stolen Heart

by LittleGooseWalking



Category: Fringe
Genre: Dark Thoughts, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Mentions of Suicide, post 3x05
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-23
Updated: 2012-06-23
Packaged: 2017-11-08 09:16:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/441624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleGooseWalking/pseuds/LittleGooseWalking
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"She held her breath as if she didn't need air anymore. Unconcerned for her current state of being. She closed her eyes, and she slipped away."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. When Alone

**Author's Note:**

> After Olivia’s experience in 3x05 in the tank. Italic 'her'/'she' is for the Alt-Olivia.  
> I wrote this when the events had just happened so it's a bit favouring to Olivia's side at first.

The water was warm. Not too hot, but hot enough that she felt relaxed. Relieved. Calm. But somehow she still felt like she was trapped in the black box, the Secretary had left her in.  
The walls so close together.  
Claustrophobic. 

 

It had been three weeks since she had returned. It was mainly part to her being able to communicate with Ella, thanks to her 'mind' Peter telling her that it was Ella's birthday. Something that their Olivia would never have known. Ella had talked to their Olivia and asked her what was wrong when she had called. Of course, she had no idea what she was talking about. That's when Peter began to suspect. It wasn't until later that he truly believed she wasn't his Olivia. Olivia had demanded to try the tank one more time. The Secretary, believing her when she said she only saw black, allowed her to enter it again, in the hope of her crossing over. Of course she did. She always did, he just didn't know it.  
She talked to Peter. Trying her best to explain everything to him before she was pulled back. Yanked from Peter's arms. Dragged kicking back to their universe.  
Being back, she could see the damage her other self had caused. Her apartment was different. Things moved, all of her comforts, her books, her clothing, and her alcohol had been replaced. There was an overflow of avocados in the fridge, but seeing as how they were rare in her world, it made sense. 

 

The bath water enveloped her. She stared at the broken soap holder in the shower next to the bath tub. How had it been broken? Peter, in her shower with _her_ , holding _her_ , touching---  
She didn't want to think of the possibilities. Instead she told herself it was broken before she had left, kidnapped and replaced by her other self.  
She moved her thoughts onto other things. Rachel, Ella, Walter, Astrid. It was nice to finally see them again. At first they were all hesitant, unsure. Ella, of course, had greeted her eagerly. Olivia had never thought such a small person could hug with such strength. But it felt nice. It felt right.  
Peter had tried talking to her. But she hadn't so much as blown him off, as she had just wandered away. She wasn't ready to listen to his excuses. After all she was _her_. How could Olivia hate him for falling in love with _her_? Even if it was the wrong her.  
Olivia knew she would have to talk to him eventually. But she wasn't ready?  
She couldn't face him just yet.  
Despite her efforts, he stuck by her side. He followed her everywhere. He even began staying with her at her apartment to make sure she was alright.  
He was sitting on her couch in her lounge room right now. He was watching the television as she took her bath. This was the first time he had left her alone longer than five minutes, not liking the idea of her being alone again. She was in solitary confinement for several weeks. He didn't want her to ever feel alone again.  
She didn't need this. He was getting clingy, in a way. Always watching over her.  
Olivia desperately wanted to be alone.  
She wanted to let go, let the warm water wash her worries away.  
She did let go. Completely.  
She slipped slowly under the water’s surface. The water washing over her fully. Everything was gone. She felt no more pain, no upset, no worry.  
She held her breath as if she didn't need air anymore. Unconcerned for her current state of being. She closed her eyes.  
And she slipped away.


	2. Halfway Gone

_Olivia's Story_.  
Olivia woke. She wasn't in the bathtub anymore. She was floating. Dark, heavy clouds surrounded her. There was nothing but black clouds. She was alone. Thunder filled the air, the clouds rumbling all around her.  
"It's not your time to die, Olivia. So why do you keep trying?" a voice spoke.   
Olivia spun around, facing the person.  
"Charlie?"   
Charlie stood before her. Healthy. Alive.  
"Hi, to you too." he smiled.   
She was relieved to see him,  
"I miss you." she said simply. Charlie smiled at her.  
"I miss you too, Liv."   
"Where am I?"   
Olivia looked at the clouds again. She had never seen clouds so black.  
"This place, it's your half way point. This is built from memories. I guess those from your childhood, about your step father, were the most potent." Charlie explained.  
"Half way point for what?"  
"Life or Death." Charlie motioned for her to sit down. What they too on was solid, but felt like nothing.  
"You're drowning, Olivia." Charlie bluntly stated.  
"What!?"   
"You're in the bath tub, you slipped under the water and you stopped breathing. Peter's in the next room, but he hasn't realised yet."   
Olivia still sat in shock, so Charlie used her silence to continue,  
"You have to make a choice. Life," he indicated towards the bright white door behind him, "or death." pointing to the black metal door to his left.  
"it's not simple, Olivia. You can't just waltz through any door. You need a reason to. You need a reason to live, or die."  
"Why?"  
"Because, if your will isn't strong enough, then you can't cross. Have you ever heard stories of suicide jumpers screaming as they fall?"  
"No."  
"Well, some say that when they jump, they are content on death. But half way down, they realise that all their problems, the reasons they jumped in the first place, can be solved. Quiet simply in fact. So they scream, realising that it's all for nothing."  
"Liv, tell me, what is worth living for?"   
"Rachel, Ella." she stated instantly.  
"Yes, they are worth living for. But your other self alienated them. Their gone now."  
It was true. Rachel hasn't spoken to her at all since she returned.   
"I love my job. Working for the FBI is my life."  
"How can working fix the mess she made?" Charlie asked her, challenging her, "How can sitting at a desk all day, sifting through files and notes, solving fringe cases, how does that fix everything, Liv?"  
She didn't know.   
Maybe she had nothing worth living for.  
Maybe death _was_ for her.   
\-------  
What was there for her?   
What was the point?  
No one would miss her. Her other self had done enough damage. She had ruined her life. She alienated Rachel and Ella. Broyles no longer believes she is fit for duty since her return. Walter is as annoying as ever. Test this, experiment that.   
And then there was Peter.   
Oh Peter.   
He was so hesitant towards her. His touch, wasn't the same. She could feel the repulse rippling through his body every time they touched. He was repulsed by her. Had she been wrong? When she kissed him Over There, she could see it his eyes, he wanted to be with her. Buy something has changed. She had done something.  
It took her awhile to figure it out. One day, when she looked in his eyes, she saw guilt. He no longer loved her.   
_She_ had stolen his heart. 

"Hey, Charlie?" she asked softly,  
"Hmm?" came the reply.   
They had been lying on their backs in silence, watching the clouds above rumble for quite some time now. They were comfortable. They had all the time in the world.   
"What's death like?" she had never been one to question it. You die, you die. Everyone does eventually, some earlier than others, some long before their time, others well after they should have died. But Olivia never feared death.   
Charlie was shocked by the question, but answered it simply, in a calm, steady voice.  
"It varies. From person to person. It really depends on how you died. If you die quietly, peacefully, like in your sleep or from a coma, then death is peaceful, quiet, calm. But if you die, like how I did, murdered, beaten, hurt, injured in anyway, death is painful. It's like constantly reliving the feeling of the day you died."  
"Oh." she was surprised by the answer, but she wanted to know.  
"I always, constantly feel the pain from my death. The shapeshifter, taking away my life so he can control it." Charlie continued, "It's not a pleasant way to go, Liv."  
\-------  
"Liv. What is there to die for? What are you running from?" Charlie asked.  
"Everything. When the other me came in my place, she, well, she fucked things up pretty good. Ruined everything. She stole my life, she stole . . . she stole Peter. And he feel in love with her."   
"No, he didn't."  
She didn't understand. "You learn a few things up here. You have eternity to just watch everyone, living their lives."   
Charlie went on, "He fell in love with _you_. He feel in love with the Olivia Dunham who risked everything to travel across universe to save him. To bring him home. If you think about it, he was so in love with you, that he didn't notice that, who was essentially you, wasn't you. She was just a version of you."   
A small frown appeared on Charlie's face as he tried to put together what he had just said.   
Olivia laughed.  
"Yeah, I confused myself too." they laughed together at Charlie's failed attempt at explaining things.   
"I love him, Charlie. I really do. More than I ever loved John. John was so secretive, and for good reason. He betrayed me. But Peter, Peter's different. He's not secretive. He is always there when I need him, and I for him."   
Then she realised, It all starts with Peter. Fixing things with Peter fixes everything else. she started walking towards the white door. The black metal fading away as she made her choice.  
"Liv?" Charlie called out to her before she disappeared,  
"You won't remember this. You won't remember why you chose to live."  
"What? Why not?" how can she not remember this? She just proclaim her love for Peter and she was too forget it? She can't forget that, she can't forget Charlie either.  
"It's how it works. Sorry, Liv. If you remember then you can change your mind. You can say you love someone, return, then realise you don't." Charlie explained, "You need to figure it out for yourself again, and if it has the same meaning then you know it's real."  
She had chosen.   
Death would have to wait another day for Olivia Dunham.


	3. Peter's

_Peter's Story_.

Olivia stirred. Her entire body felt ridged, and sore. She couldn't feel her arm and she had a terrible headache.   
Slowly, she opened her eyes. The light from the window was blinding, seeping into the bright room. The first thing she saw was Peter. His face scarred with concern.   
"God, 'Livia!" he exclaimed. He held her hand, rubbing it comfortingly.   
She looked around. The distinct smell of medicines in the air. A Hospital.   
"What?" she was a confused.  
"Olivia!" it took him a moment to realise, she didn't know.   
"Liv, you nearly drowned." he breathed, "again." he added solemnly, quietly.   
"Again?"   
"First Tuesday after you returned. You took a bath. Rachel found you. A week ago, Sunday, same thing. I found you then. I mean . . . You wanted to take a bath, I didn't see the harm. I thought the first time was an accident. But you just, let go. You'd slip under the water. And not come up."  
She didn't understand. She never intend to . . . kill herself. She was so relaxed, she just wanted to sleep, she never realised she had slipped under.   
Have you ever been so calm, or dreamt so peacefully you never realised your not breathing?   
He had seen what the stress was doing to her, since she had returned no one had left her alone.  
Walter wanting to perform more tests on her, wanting to know what side effects crossing over may have had on her.   
Broyles was worries about her physical and mental well being. Insisting on psych evaluations before she returned to field duty.   
Rachel had been so worried, apparently her other self had been behaving differently.   
Ella was wanting to see her Aunt Liv again, but Olivia wanted space, she needed time. She needed time to fix everything, to fix what her other self had damaged. What she had stolen.   
And Peter saw that.  
And then there was Peter. He always knew the right things to say, when to say them and he knew exactly what made her tick. He refused to leave her side. Ever. He followed her everywhere since she returned. He worried, a little too much. Continuously apologising for not seeing her other self's disguise. He tried to talk to her, but she didn't want to talk. He wanted to apologise for sleeping with her. He did believe it was his Olivia. He was too caught up in his love for her to notice the small differences. It was true what people said, 'love is blinding'. But deep down, Peter knew that Olivia had figured it out. His initial awkwardness, his hesitance to touch her. He wondered if his initial reaction to her return was what brought on her own hesitation towards him. 

She turned over in the bed, lying on her side, facing Peter. She felt something tug on her wrist. An IV had been inserted into her arm. This made moving even more uncomfortable.  
"I'm sorry, Peter."   
"Just tell me, why?"  
"Honestly. I don't know." it was true, "I just feel like letting go. I don't need this, Peter. I need to have to worry that she has done something, changed something. Something I have to fix. I return home, and everything's different. Things have been moved, thrown away, your clothes . . . " she trailed off, unable to bring herself to say what she was thinking.  
"I'm sorry, 'Livia. I really am." he was pleading with her now, intent on making her believe he truly was sorry for his mistakes.   
"I know." she whispered, she pulled him into a hug. Pulling him onto the bed with her. She curled up against him. His arms wrapping around her. "She was me. I don't blame you."   
"I love you, Peter." she whispered,  
Peter kissed her hair lightly, "I love you too. I never meant for this to happen. I feel in love with you. Not her. I will sways love you, Olivia." he buried his face into her hair.  
\-------  
In the hallway of the hospital, Charlie watched them through the door. Curled up together, holding each other.   
It was real, her meaning. She loved him, and him her.   
Charlie walked away, smiling. His work was done.   
He disappeared, leaving the happy couple.


End file.
